Today's news

USF ABROAD: As if Lakeland and Sarasota weren't a long enough commute, USF is headed to Singapore to create its first overseas bachelor's degree program, in business. All you need is a valid passport and, we guess, enough frequent flyer miles to make the 10,000 one-way trip affordable.

SCHOOL SHOOTING: Summer classes were disrupted at Middleton High in Tampa by a gunman who fired a shot at one student, but missed. More than 200 teens were on campus, which the gunman and three others with him entered through an open side gate. Police have made two arrests.

WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS: Hillsborough County's school district and county government appear headed to court because they can't decide who pays for sidewalks and other infrastructure improvements made necessary by a new school.MORE MONEY: Hernando County, long a complainer about how it gets less state money per student than most other counties, will see a larger increase this year than most other counties. But not enough to stave off a property tax increase.

FROM THE OP-ED PAGES: Rather than just posturing on tuition, Gov. Charlie Crist needs to come up with a plan to take Florida's university system into the future, the Times editoralizes.

WHAT YOU SAID: Six of every 10 readers who responded to our question about tattoos and piercings on teachers said the Pasco School Board should worry about other more important things. Thanks for taking the time to answer.

SCHOOL GRADE UPDATE: The Florida Department of Education expects to delay, and perhaps modify, school grades this summer because of the FCAT scoring errors that recently came to light, the Florida Times-Union reports.MORE DISTRICTS SEEKING ACCREDITATION: Once the realm of high schools, accreditation is seeping into entire districts. Sixteen in Florida have taken the plunge, and 16 more are in the pipeline, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

PROJECTS IN JEOPARDY: Palm Beach school leaders figured they would lose some anticipated tax revenue in the coming year. But not so much that their entire construction plan would be thrown into doubt. They're now scrambling to revise their priorities, the Palm Beach Post reports.

LENDING INQUIRY TO EXPAND: NY Attorney General Andrew Cuomo now plans to look into whether the criteria lenders used in processing student loans violated civil rights laws, the NY Times reports.

About the blog

Gradebook features education articles and insights on schools in Florida, focusing on Tampa Bay area schools. What's the latest from the Florida Department of Education? How is the FCAT being used to compare Florida schools? What's going on in Tampa Bay schools? Get an insider's view from the Times education reporting team.